The Sixty-Sixth Hunger Games
by Col123
Summary: We all know how the Hunger Games works. Twenty four poor kids are placed into an arena every year to fight to the death until a lone victor remains, don't trust each other and don't get attached. But this year there is a twist. Athena has been reaped alongside her brother.
1. Chapter 1

When I wake up the bed is cold. My fingers stretch out seeking the summers warmth. I notice my brother is not home. Of course not he must be training, for it is the morning of the reaping. I pull on a loose pair of trousers and T-shirt and braid my hair. I then squish my feet into a pair of shoes that I have grown too big for.

Our house is at the edge of District 2, one of the richest districts of all, we specialize in masonry. I only have to walk about a 100 meters to see the fence that separates us from the meadow, the fence is a high chain-link topped with barbed wire. Apparently, its electrified 24 hours a day but I know better.

I head to the training center where I hope to find my brother Eimmot, he will be volunteering for the 66th Hunger Games. I find him training with a spear and I tell him "Eimmot, there's still two hours till the reaping, come home and have breakfast." We sit and wait until an alarm sounds that we must depart to the center of the district for the reaping. We walk in silence. I can tell my mother and father would have been so proud of Eimmot today. In our district we embrace The Hunger Games but personally I think we receive an unfair advantage because we are better fed and trained.

You become eligible for the games when you turn 12. That means your name is put in the bowl once and one more time every year that you age until you turn 18. My name is in the bowl 4 times, but the odds are still in my favor. Because we live in District 2, volunteers for the games are common, at the moment we have the most victors (a total of 9). The last one 3 years ago. Suddenly I feel unprepared. What if I was over confident?

What if Eimmot dies? Before I can think further the reaping begins. Our escort, Petunia, wearing her silly pink wig and a dress made of gold feathers and tells the crowd through the microphone, "Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favor" this brings huge applause from the crowds. "Ladies first!" she smiles and digs her hands into the reaping bowl. Not me, please don't be me... This year there will be no female volunteer as she fell ill two weeks before reaping and no other girls were willing to volunteer, I remember Eimmot telling me this news but he was beaming because he had a higher chance of winning. "Athena Clearwater!" I hear Petunia shout. My heart drops, that's me.

I'm struggling for breath, unable to speak, totally stunned as the name bounces in my skull. The other kids my age part ways to allow me through. "Well come on up!" The escort calls me, "Ladies and gentlemen our female tribute, Athena Clearwater!" She has a hint of discourage in her voice for she knows by my small, frail body that I have not been trained. I receive a large amount of applause from my district. "Next, the boys" completely ignoring the fact she just sent someone to die. I hear the voice of my brother, "I volunteer!" Our escort smiles and asks for his name "Eimmot Clearwater," she gasps, "You mean!" "Yep" he replies. What just happened. Did Eimmot just volunteer! How stupid is he, this may have been his last shot of victory but only one of us can make it! What a selfish brat! I find it almost impossible to withhold my anger till we arrive onto the train.

When we arrive on the train I say what I've been thinking "You're an idiot!" I scream at Eimmot "Why did you volunteer?!" Our mentors Enobaria and Brutus laugh. Eimmot screams back "to save you!" "I could've done fine on my own," I reply icily. I run to my quarters and slam door shut and hear another laugh from our mentor.

**Authors note: this is my first fanfiction, please review!**


	2. Chapter 2

I lie on the couch and quietly sob into a pillow imagining my slow and painful death.  
>I am informed and hour later that we have arrived in the capitol and I am sent to my prep team and eventually my stylist, Tigris. She claims she's here to make me attract sponsors but in reality I think I look like a doll.<br>My hair is curled and my prep team Mel, Luc and Vic help me into a gold dress covered in tiny white flowers. When I meet Eimmot again he tells me to look fierce and brave and we step onto a chariots. I am told by Tigris to completely ignore the crowds and hold hands with Eimmot to show we are a team because the crowds will love it. He wears a suit in a similar colour to mine with a white shirt. His blonde hair is spiked at the front. We are the second chariots to enter into the crowds sight and we receive a fair amount of applause. I look at Eimmot. We're fierce.  
>I wave to the crowds and blow kisses to random people and they smile. When we are gathered together President Snow gives his speech, I can't help but notice the weary looks the tributes give me.<br>Brutus tell us to make friends with our fellow careers. I completely forgot we were careers, the ones who have been training for the games since we are a rich district. The careers win the games almost every year but sometimes we can be arrogant. That's when other districts win. Careers come from districts 1, 2 and 4. Although I am poorly trained Enobaria and Brutus pretend this isn't an issue. When I finally get the chance to look at the other tributes I frown, I am one of the smaller tributes, maybe I'll be under estimated. The career pack consist of Marcus and Pearl, two deadly fighters who both specialize with a spear. Calypso from 4 is a threat but we learn that she will join us but her weaker district partner, Ludovic wont.

I'm filled with sadness to watch a 12 year old girl to be reaped alongside a pathetic looking boy. Next there is another set of siblings from 6 Andrea and Will. The tributes from 7 and 8 won't be a threat but Talc from 9 could go down with a fight. The girl from 10 is carried on stage in tears but I laugh and Eimmot frowns at me for my cruelty. "Its obviously all an act Eimmot, she's obviously going to be dangerous" I explain. Lastly we see the poor tributes from 11 and 12 make their way up on the stage. For the first time since the reaping Eimmot and I are left alone. We disheartedly discuss the evenings events until I say what's on my mind "what if were last." "We both know how unlikely that is," he replies. Finally I agree. "We'll protect each other no matter what, we'll hunt with the tributes from 1 and the girl from 4, we will never trust the boy from 9 or girl from 10". I nod to this. "But what about the girl from 5, Beatrice, I don't think I could kill someone that innocent" I explain. "Let's just hope its not us and it's quick" "I wish this were over," I whisper. He nods and we wish each other good night.

**Sorry the introduction chapters are short, the games will have much more detail. Please review!**


	3. Chapter 3

When we wake up, we eat breakfast while Brutus and Enobaria talk the tributes we will face, we are given training clothes with the number 2 printed on the back and we are ordered to wear them.

When we reach the training center, an athletic woman steps up and calls all the tributes to explain the training schedules. We will be free to travel from area to area as we chose, whatever our mentor's instructions are. Some of the stations teach survival techniques while others teach fighting techniques. There are assistants on hand if we want to practice with a partner. When Atala, the head trainer reads out the list of skill stations I can't help looking at the other tributes. At least half of them are bigger than me, even though they've never been fed properly with the exception of the careers.

When we are released Calypso heads for the throwing knives, Marcus and Pearl head for the spears and Eimmot has his eye on the swords. "Where would you like to start?" he asks "I think I'll tie some knots I reply." When I start, I realize that I am alone and I start with basic knots that Eimmot had taught me from training and then the instructor teaches me more complex but useful knots.

I barely notice the hour pass, I thank the trainer and he stares back at me in surprise saying that he never receives appreciation. Next I learn some other valuable skills, from starting fires, to making shelter and the last station I visit before lunch is the edible plants section which through half am hour of learning, I ace.

At lunch the 24 of us eat in a room beside the gymnasium, us careers gather at one table while most of the others eat alone. All Marcus does is laugh and make fun of other tributes while Pearl gives me looks of resentment. I head to the weapons after lunch in the first hour I try throwing knives and I'm pretty good with them but can hit no-where near the center of the target. I'm useless with a spear at short distances but to the careers surprise I can easily wrestle 3 instructors that are twice my size.

The next day of training Calypso from 4 approaches me, "Pearl says we can't keep you if you're not good with a weapon, you have today to prove yourself or your out of the career pack, she knows your not trained, its your brother keeping you in." "How do I prove myself?" I later ask Eimmot. We head over to an empty section and he hands me a slingshot. "Really, a slingshot? How do I kill another person with this?" "Poison the object your using, which will probably be stones, just do something to make it more deadly." Reluctantly, I pull the elastic back and release, it lands in the center of the target. "Keep practising" he tells me and heads back to Calypso to throw axes. Slowly I get lost in the shooting. I don't even notice until I hear Marcus whispering in my ear "I think you have a shadow" he tells me I turn around and see the little girl, Beatrice. She's the 12 year old. She has brown eyes and satiny brown skin. Up close she looks about 10. She stands up on her toes, like a bird ready to fly. I wait until Marcus leaves and I ask her "Would you like to join me?"

**Please review!**


	4. Chapter 4

When we wake up, we eat breakfast while Brutus and Enobaria talk the tributes we will face, we are given training clothes with the number 2 printed on the back and we are ordered to wear them.

When we reach the training center, an athletic woman steps up and calls all the tributes to explain the training schedules. We will be free to travel from area to area as we chose, whatever our mentor's instructions are. Some of the stations teach survival techniques while others teach fighting techniques. There are assistants on hand if we want to practice with a partner. When Atala, the head trainer reads out the list of skill stations I can't help looking at the other tributes. At least half of them are bigger than me, even though they've never been fed properly with the exception of the careers.

When we are released Calypso heads for the throwing knives, Marcus and Pearl head for the spears and Eimmot has his eye on the swords. "Where would you like to start?" he asks "I think I'll tie some knots I reply." When I start, I realize that I am alone and I start with basic knots that Eimmot had taught me from training and then the instructor teaches me more complex but useful knots.

I barely notice the hour pass, I thank the trainer and he stares back at me in surprise saying that he never receives appreciation. Next I learn some other valuable skills, from starting fires, to making shelter and the last station I visit before lunch is the edible plants section which through half am hour of learning, I ace.

At lunch the 24 of us eat in a room beside the gymnasium, us careers gather at one table while most of the others eat alone. All Marcus does is laugh and make fun of other tributes while Pearl gives me looks of resentment. I head to the weapons after lunch in the first hour I try throwing knives and I'm pretty good with them but can hit no-where near the center of the target. I'm useless with a spear at short distances but to the careers surprise I can easily wrestle 3 instructors that are twice my size.

The next day of training Calypso from 4 approaches me, "Pearl says we can't keep you if you're not good with a weapon, you have today to prove yourself or your out of the career pack, she knows your not trained, its your brother keeping you in." "How do I prove myself?" I later ask Eimmot. We head over to an empty section and he hands me a slingshot. "Really, a slingshot? How do I kill another person with this?" "Poison the object your using, which will probably be stones, just do something to make it more deadly." Reluctantly, I pull the elastic back and release, it lands in the center of the target. "Keep practising" he tells me and heads back to Calypso to throw axes. Slowly I get lost in the shooting. I don't even notice until I hear Marcus whispering in my ear "I think you have a shadow" he tells me I turn around and see the little girl, Beatrice. She's the 12 year old. She has brown eyes and satiny brown skin. Up close she looks about 10. She stands up on her toes, like a bird ready to fly. I wait until Marcus leaves and I ask her "Would you like to join me?"

**Please review!**


	5. Chapter 5

The next day we practice our interviews with our mentors. Every type of way I should act for these interviews I simply am not convincing eventually Enobaria just says do what I want, "They'll probably love you anyways, you do know you're receiving the 3rd most bets after Eimmot and Pearl?" This time Eimmot's interview will be after mine. We wear more silver clothes. Mine is a beautiful dress that brings out my once again, braided blonde hair.

After Marcus Bentley I hear Ceasar Flickerman call Athena Clearwater and I pull myself to the interview chair on the centre stage. I shake Ceasar's hand and we start. "So Athena, what has impressed you most since you arrived in the capitol?" Asks Ceasar. Nothing, I think. "The magnificent architecture," I reply "The magnificent architecture," he says as if I had just said something soothing, the audience cheer. "Now Athena, when your brother volunteered volunteered after you were reaped what were you thinking?" "What an idiot he is," I blurt out, the audience laugh. "I mean because only one of us can win!" I can feel my cheeks going red but I manage a smile. He asks questions about family, he soon learns I'm an orphan and stays clear of the subject, followed by friends, he then learns I only have a small handful and stays clear of that subject too. Finally he says "do you love your brother?" "Yes I do, wholeheartedly".

The audience are really hoping for more but Ceasar learns there is not enough time to continue with the subject. "Well good luck to you Athena" and the gong sounds, the audience applause is deafening. I'm brought back to our compound and Enobaria praises me and tells me how I stand with sponsors. Apparently, I am now second favourite to win, Pearl has dropped two places and Marcus has moved up one putting him in third. We all eat dinner while Tigris tries to make conversation.

Eimmot and I sleep in the same room tonight "Isn't it weird" he mutters "We could be dead tomorrow". I nod in agreement. "Look Athena, if it comes to my death tomorrow you must flee from the careers, they won't be scared of you anymore if I'm gone". I think of the horrors of the chance of Eimmots death tomorrow. "We'll protect eachother" he says but he is almost inaudible, as I am already half asleep.

The next morning I feel numb and nervous, I hug Eimmot good bye and we don't say a word. After traveling for a long time on the hovercraft I am left alone with Tigris and we discuss the type of terrain I'll face. A desert, swamp or wasteland? There are endless possibilities. Tigris has me dress into the outfit put out, a simple jumpsuit and hands me one of her rings that I can use as a district token. We hug and she whispers me "good luck", that she's never felt like this about another tribute before and thinks if I don't become a ruthless career and keep my own head I can win.

I wonder what she means by this? I step into the glass cylinder that will lift us to the arena and I hear an announcer telling us to prepare for launch. The glass cylinder closes around me and Tigris points to my chin. Head high, she must mean. The cylinder begins to rise and then I feel the metal pushing me off the cylinder. I'm then conscious of my surroundings. 300 metres in front of me there is a large mountain that I presume is likely to be unsafe. Behind me there is a large marshy area, quicksand and mutations is all I'm thinking about that area. To my left there is a forest and to my right there is a large overgrown field.

Then I hear the legendary Claudius Templesmith, as his familiar voice booms all around me. "Ladies and gentlemen let the sixty sixth Hunger Games begin!"


	6. Chapter 6

p dir="ltr"Sixty seconds. That's how long were required to stand until the sound of the gong releases us. Step off before that, landmines blow off your legs. After this the cornucopia, a giant golden horn shaped like a cone with a tail, the mouth of which is at least seven meters high, spilling over with supplies for the arena. Food, water, weapons, medicine, garments, fire starters. Strewn outside it are other supplies, decreasing in value the further they are from the horn. I'm fast, this forty metre sprint to the cornucopia is what I was made for. I see a knife, a slingshot and some stones not too far from them. I see Eimmot to my left telling me to use a knife because the slingshot will probably be useless. That's when the gong sounds./p  
>p dir="ltr"Reality kicks in and I sprint to the cornucopia. I make it there seconds after Pearl and grab a knife. When I turn around the boy from 5 is on me. I prepare for my kill and the knife enters his stomach. The first cannon booms. Two more cannons go off and I run to help Calypso. The two tributes from 12 are on her. In the distance I see Eimmot, two tributes on the ground in front of him. He doesn't look to be wounded, I run to the district twelve male and bury my knife into his chest. The female tribute runs away with a back pack. I go to grab a second knife when the girl, I think from 9, reaches it when I do and for a brief moment we grapple for it and then she coughs, splattering my face with blood. She then slips to the ground. That's when I notice the spear in her back. "Thanks Marcus". Lastly I see Beatrice run into the forest, that's it the bloodbath is over. Four more cannons boom as we exit the cornucopia waiting for the body's to be picked up. Once all the body's are removed we count the cannons. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven. Eleven gone, this is a common number in The Hunger Games.p  
>p dir="ltr"When the cannons boom we discuss our kills. "The boy from three and the girl from 9," Marcus says. "The boys from 5 and 12" I tell them. "Yeah right" Pearl replies. " It's true I saw it" Calypso says, she saved me from the two from 12, I chased the girl later and killed her then I got the boy from 8, how about you Eimmot?" She asks. "The boys from 4 and 10 and the girl from 6. The girl from 6 was Andrea, I think about her brother Will who must be facing so much grief, I wonder did he survive today. "We have a winner!" Pearl shouts and raises Eimmots hand! "Speech!" Marcus shouts and everyone starts laughing. I'm not laughing because its funny, I don't want my neck broken by the others for not being bloodthirsty like them. "9 out of 11 kills for the careers, that's amazing!" Calypso shouts "but now we have to sort our supplies". Everyone groans.p  
>p dir="ltr"For dinner we each receive a large amount of food, three canteens filled with water, a medicine box and a rain jacket. At dusk rain starts pouring and Eimmot says now is the best time to hunt because most tributes will worry about the rain. Eventually we split and I hunt with Calypso, Marcus hunts with Eimmot and Pearl asks to hunt alone. On our journey we decide to climb a tree to get a better view of the arena. I get to know Calypso. She is the youngest of 3 and her father is a fisherman. Her mother is a previous victor who won her games with 10 kills. When we ate ready to get down we become aware of two people 25 metres from us. Its Annabeth and the boy from 9, Talc. Annabeth fills up her canteen with water from the stream, careful not to touch the water itself. I hear Calypso taking out her Axe. "Stop and stay quiet, can't you see the water is poisoned, she is doing everything to stop her skin coming in contact with it" I tell her.p  
>p dir="ltr""Here Talc, drink this we can't get dehydrated. He swallows it all without flinching. That's when his face goes completely white, then red "sorry Talc" Annabeth laughs "only one of us can win." "That bitch! Calypso says and jumps from the tree. I go to follow her but I remember the stones I put in my pocket and dip them into the water. I load my slingshot and follow Calypso. I suddenly hear Annabeth scream "Where did she go" Calypso curses. "It's too late anyways, she got away and its too dark to find her. We both agree to head back to the cornucopia "I can't believe her!" She screams "Couldn't put up a fair fight!" I can't help but agree. Maybe if we were at home I could've been friends with Calypso if she was less bloodthirsty.p 


	7. Chapter 7

p dir="ltr"At midnight, we arrive back at our camp at the cornucopia, we're the last to arrive but before they can speak to us I see the seal of the capitol which appears to be floating in the sky. The capitol anthem comes on to show us the death recap. The first to appear is the boy from 3 followed by Calypso's district partner Ludovic, I see a look of disappointment in Calypso's eyes. Then the boy from 5 who I killed, so Beatrice made it out alive. Next I see Andrea and the tributes from 7, 8 and 9. The last boy I feel guilty about because I could have saved him. Next the boy from 10, followed by the girl from 11 and both tributes from 12. That's it. The capitol seal is back with a final musical flourish. I try to work out who is left "Five careers, the girl from 3, Beatrice, the boy from 6, Annabeth from 10 and the male from 11. I haven't really slept for two days due to stress, then there's been the long journey in the arena./p  
>p dir="ltr"Slowly, I allow my muscles to relax and hop into my sleeping bag next to Eimmot. My eyes close and I drift off to sleep. Snap! The sound of a breaking branch wakes me. How long have I been asleep, seven hours, eight? Slowly my eyes start to focus. Its Beatrice. Her pack is open and she is taking our supplies. Pearl must have been on watch but fell asleep. Beatrice is aware I see her and almost squeals with fear. I just stare at her and slowly she realizes I won't attack her. She grabs a medicine box and dashes off to the woods. What would she need that for?p  
>p dir="ltr"At dusk everyone is awake and we go off as a group to hunt. After a long and heated argument we leave Calypso behind to gaurd the supplies. On our travels we pass the poisoned river. I dip my remaining stones into the stream and put them into the pouch. I make sure not to touch the water like Annabeth had done. Calypso and I chose not to tell the others about Annabeth. The poison dries quickly but still burns your skin badly. After no success in finding tributes we head for the mountain, which I now see has a flat top.p  
>p dir="ltr"As we are walking up we stop for a break, for the sun is really wearing is down today. "We're low on water, we'll have to turn back soon," Pearl says. Before anyone can reply we are interrupted by a scream. "Look!" Marcus shouts. We all follow his gaze, the mountain spews out lava at its summit about 500 metres above us but its moving at a steady rate. We have about a kilometer till we reach the bottom. "Run!" I scream. I lead the group down the safest and quickest path as possible, soon we are split up. I hear a cannon and look around, all 4 of us are still running but are slowly being separated. "Meet at the cornucopia" Eimmot shouts. We make it down the steepest part of the mountain with 200 meters left, Pearl slips but gets back up. Twenty meters behind me I hear a snap. Marcus has tripped and Pearl screams "His leg is broken!" She's close to tears, "I'm sorry Marcus!" she shouts and raises her Axe.p  
>p dir="ltr"A cannon booms, the first career death. The lava speeds up and I feel it by my heels. "No!" I scream. But a release of adrenaline moves me faster. I wait for death but it doesn't come. I reach the bottom and keep sprinting for another 100 meters to the woods, I hear no other cannons. I'm only able to form one thought: where is Eimmot? Then I black out from pains in my feet.p  
>p dir="ltr"I enter a nightmare that occurs repeatedly. How many times will I watch Eimmot die? See my parents last moments? Watch Marcus final moments? Suddenly I enter reality, how long have I been out? The stiffness in my joints say two, maybe three days. I'll have no way in knowing who was killed by the volcano so I head back to the cornucopia. When I arrive nobody is there but of course I see Beatrice dashing away in the distance heading to the overgrown fields. I must know about Eimmot. I make a beeline to the fields. She notices that I am only about twenty metres from her and she breaks off into a sprint. "Stop!" I scream "I just want to talk!" "How can I trust you?!" she screams back. Fair point, I think. "Well I didn't kill you earlier! I didn't even tell anyone you were there!" Slowly she pulls to a stop. "What do you need to know?" She pulls out her slingshot and aims at me "Stand five meters back" she says "I'm not an idiot, I know what careers are like." "Actually I was never trained" I reply. She contemplates this and finally lowers her weapon. "So what do you want to know?" she asks. "My brother, is he alive?" "Yes but he's hungry, he's eating more than me but he doesn't know what it feels like to starve." Stupidly, I begin to sob. "Nobody else needs to die" I whisper "They've proved themselves, the capitol have! They could execute us all 24 at once to show us their dominance." Beatrice opens her mouth to say something but stops herself "That could have just cost your life" she whispers. I stop to compose my self.p  
>p dir="ltr""So recap the latest events" I've been unconscious for 3 days, I discover. The girl from 3 was the initial scream we heard, she was killed by the lava and Marcus too. "What about Calypso?" I ask. "Who? Oh the girl from 4". "Killed by Annabeth from 10" she says. I'm surprised to find a deep sadness in my heart "Did she go down with a fight?" I painfully ask. She ignores the direct question "I'm sorry Athena... were you two close?" So she didn't go down with a fight. "No, but we could've been if we weren't here." "Why did you want to know if she went down with a fight?" she asks. "Calypso said that she never wanted to go down without a fight. She didn't even get her death wish." Beatrice tries to change the subject "The boy from 6 was killed by the girl from 1... She was in a terrible state and couldn't stop crying, she wanted to hang the boy even though she had a spear. She screamed for a rope from her sponsors and received one." The next part shocked me the most. "She killed the boy with a spear and tied a rope to a tree and made a noose. Athena" she says while bursting into tears. "I think she was in love with the boy, she hung herself." "I could have done something... but I just watched." Pearl was my least favorite career but I began to cry too. "Allies?" I ask. "Allies" she confirms.p 


	8. Chapter 8

p dir="ltr"After a half hour of hugging and crying and crying Beatrice and I go hunting. This time for animals rather than tributes, I learn that there are 5 of us left. Beatrice and I, Eimmot, the boy from 11 who is called Edward and Annabeth. I get to know another tribute outside of the games, Beatrice goes to school for 4 hours a day and spends 5 hours working in a powerplant factory. She is a bright student who will soon move up to higher ranks. She is an only child who lives with her mother, her father passed away when she was 3 in a nuclear accident. The whole district were forced to evacuate, apparently this was accepted by the capitol in extreme cases in this district. Her mother is a doctor who works long hours. Although she lives in a part of the district that is known for its poverty, she eats well, at least 4 nights a week. We find a place at the edge of the cornucopia to stay for the night and slowly we drift off to sleep./p  
>p dir="ltr"When I wake up I make out a large figure in front of me with a smaller figure. It's Eimmot and Beatrice. I'm not sure who to hug first so I hug them both at the same time. "I found him in the woods" she says "Said he wouldn't kill me and was looking for you" "It took him at least half an hour before I could convince him I wasn't leading him to a trap" she smiles.p  
>p dir="ltr"I notice that my brothers cheek bones are more visible and as we walk to the cornucopia Eimmot and I can't help but talk about old times. We all laugh when I remind Eimmot of the time that our father pretended Eimmot was invisible for a whole week. Those were our happier times. Just then I hear my new friend Claudius Templesmith on the announcer.p  
>p dir="ltr""Ladies and gentlemen congratulations on making it to the final 5. In one hour we will be holding a feast. Now before you turn your noses up on us and turn back, all of you are in need of something. We have removed all animals from the forest that you could eat. These food packages could last you all up to a week. No we dont just have food, two of you are in need of medicine." I think of the blisters on my feet. "To repeat, that's one hour at the cornucopia." "We have to go" I say. Beatrice immediately agrees. Eimmot shakes his head. "Eimmot you're too weak! You won't last another day like this, at least Beatrice has brains and realizes this not just for you but for her too! Were going!"p  
>p dir="ltr"Eimmot looks shocked at my sudden leadership but follows us to the cornucopia. We arrive with about 10 minutes to spare and we arrange a plan. We send Beatrice armed with a knife and slingshot to cover us by the trees. I will grab the food and Eimmot will be 5 meters behind me on gaurd. Despite the fact that Annabeth doesn't go for hand to hand combat, she must be hungry too. I'm guessing the boy from 11 needs the medicine. We hug for the last time and say we'll meet back in the same spot when it is over.p  
>p dir="ltr"When the table rises in front of the cornucopia, we realize that Claudius did not lie. The bag of food is huge and will take tremendous effort to carry. Eimmot and I dash out clearing and grab the bag. I'm surprised no one has came upon on us. "I can't believe how easy tha-" Eimmots voice stops short as a knife enters his back. "Eimmot!" I scream! Its Edward and Annabeth, they've formed an alliance. I pull out a stone and slingshot and lodge a stone into his throat, I kill the boy before he hits the ground. Annabeth runs straight for me and manages to disarm me. I reach for my knife but I remember its gone. I gave it to Beatrice. I hold my head high and wait for my death but for the second time, death doesn't come. Beatrice has saved me.p 


	9. Chapter 9

"Hold her down!" I scream. "Let me kill her!" her death will end my suffering. I take my knife back but before I can give her the death blow I hear Eimmots voice "Athena please!" I run to his side. I see Annabeth kick Beatrice off her and run back into the forest wielding my knife. "Eimmot don't go!" I scream at him "I have to" he whispers back.

"Hey Athena?" he says. "Remember that time our father bought a banjo and played that song about the donkeys in the stables?" "Yes, I do" I sob. "And remember that time when mother planted a cherry tree in the meadow near our house, I'm sorry I didn't make it" he says. My sobs can probably be heard all over the arena but I don't care "You can't give up!" he whispers. "Athena" he says again. "Take my hand I can't be alone on my final journey." I grab his hand, his grip is warm. "I'll tell mother and father how well you've done and I'll still watch over you all the time." "Ask father to sing me the song when you see me" I say. "I will" he smiles. I watch his eyes roll back into his head. I notice Beatrice beside me with tears streaming down her cheeks, she closes his eyes. "Goodbye" we whisper in unison.

Beatrice grabs the bag of food and allows me at peace with him for the last time. After a few minutes of sulking beside Eimmot I follow her. We know the finale is upon us soon and we must be prepared. I apply the blister cream and Beatrice eats in silence. We walk deep into the forest and try to calm ourselves. "I can't believe he is gone" I say. Before Beatrice can reply I hear Claudius Templesmith again on the announcer.

"Attention tributes. We congratulate you on making it to the final 3. I'm afraid we have a nasty surprise in store. In 3 minutes oxygen will be removed from the entire arena excluding the area around the cornucopia. Your time starts when the bell rings. You must not move within 10 meters of where you are standing now, good luck on your final adventure." We both take a last drink of water and the bell rings. "You have 3 minutes remaining" Claudius says. We break into a sprint to the cornucopia.

"You have two minutes remaining" we hear Claudius say. Beatrice is on my heels. We still have about 300 meters to run and we are short of breath but we keep pushing. Suddenly adrenaline releases in me and I push ahead. "You have one minute remaining." 30 meter dash, 40 for Beatrice. I still have 20 meters when I hear 30 seconds remaining. I see the golden cornucopia now. I made it. I look behind me "Athena!" I hear a scream. Its Beatrice. She tripped within the last 5 meters. I sprint back and pull her forwards. We made it. "Thank you, thank you, thank you." she says. "She has to be around here somewhere" I reply. There was no cannon. We both take out our slingshots and load that's when I hear the whistle of a knife gliding through the air. It hits Beatrice in the center of the chest.

I look around and see no assailant anywhere. I must be strong, I watch her smile for her last time and thank me for my friendship. "I've never had a friend like you" I reply. "You have to win" she says "I will" I smile "Be at rest now". Slowly I watch the light leave her eyes. The cannon booms. "Come on out you stinking coward!" I scream. "Think its fun to kill little girls, do you?" "Come at me!" Annabeth runs at me from the back of the cornucopia and throws an Axe to my chest, I react by ducking. She has 3 more knives in her hands. She grabs my waist and we wrestle for two minutes. First I am on top and then she's on top, the cycle repeats. Quickly she grabs her knife and puts it between her teeth while holding me down and creates a gash down my wrist.

I free myself of her grip and punch her in the throat and she gasps for breath. I drag her body beside Beatrice's and take the knife that was plunged into her chest. Before she realizes what is going on I stab her in the heart, she initially screams but then starts gasping as if she was a fish out of water. I take the knife out of her heart and pierce it through her skull.

Finally, I hear the boom of the cannon. "Your fight is over" I whisper to the girls. I sit on the grass and hold Annabeth and Beatrice's hand as a sign of unity, they were still human in the end.

I wait for the hovercraft to pick me up and bring me to the capitol and eventually, it does.

**Thank you to anyone who followed this through to the end! I am thinking of doing a story related to Divergent next! Please review, I need tips on how I could have made my stories better!**


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